Actually the 747 wasn’t a cargo it was a Saudi VIP aircraft. Canberra’s runway is wide enough and long enough to take 747’s without doing any damage, it was widend recently for that purpose but as someone else said there are works in progess and the wash from the outboard engines is what did the damage. They were expecting crap to be brought up onto the runway (as was the case years ago when 747’s came in) as they had the sweepers on standby.

Vic, To answer your question the lights in question are the ones that run down either side of the runway. They are white in colour and sit above the ground around 15cm high. Jetblast from the engines has most likely blown them around hence the debris on the runway. From the reports I have been reading only a few lights were smashed and these were temporary lights in place until runway works are complete (works are not yet finished). Once they are permanently fixed to the ground it won’t be a problem.

The Russian freighter took off from the other end of the runway. The runway lights on that end of the runway are permanently fixed to the ground hence why it didn’t cause a problem.

I’m also very curious to know the last time the runway lights got damage because the last one I can remember was about 15 years ago when a Qantas 747 made a emergency landing on a then narrower runway.

I can’t really see it becoming a massive freight airport and replacing Sydney, so I wouldn’t be too concerned Seepi. Even the ‘Express’ (air) carriers just use overnight road freight direct from Mascot, have done for years, and it works. Why would they pay more for the privilege of bringing in such tiny amounts direct to Canberra? (believe me, there ain’t that much coming in – all up would usually fit onto one truck daily, excluding unusual shipments and extra extra long weekends like Easter.) Ditto for surrounding outer areas, not worth the expense for the miniscule (SFA) amount of business.

Then again, Snow has proved himself a fool with the Bland Depot debacle, so it wouldn’t surprise me if he tried…

Nope, more noise and more traffic. Look at what Snow has done so far, and there’s more and bigger and better to come.

A crap “factory outlet” centre (factory outlets my arse), gridlocked traffic every morning, and the Brindabella people get to do it all again in the afternoon too. Civic-style parking charges to park in an empty paddock. and on and on.

One thing with planes landing on that runway, they still drift for ages above it before they put their wheels down (and the epuff of smoke goes up). I wonder why they do that?